I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon

Chapter 795 - 297: Empress: It’s Time to Come Clean, I Really Like Chen Mo! The Prophecy Fulfilled! (Part 3)

Chen Mo appreciated her frustrated expression and nodded, "No worries, I never hold grudges. Just be mindful of your actions in the future, and if you can stay away from me, that would be even better."

Chu Yanli’s cheeks were flushed red, and she almost bit through her molars.

Originally, she intended to "handle" them this way, but who would have thought the Empress wouldn’t play by the rules and ended up shooting herself in the foot...

"About the cooperation..."

The Empress extended her hand to take back the Seal Platform, her expression calming like a rain shower turning into a gentle breeze. She smiled and said, "Considering your performance wasn’t too bad, I will grudgingly agree with you, but you mustn’t act recklessly in the future."

"...Understood."

Chu Yanli hesitated for a moment and then asked softly, "Yuchan, have the two of you really... done it?"

"Cough, cough!"

The Empress nearly choked on her saliva, gave her a side-eye, and retorted irritably, "What does that have to do with you? Don’t ask what you shouldn’t... The ceremony is about to start, so hurry up and get ready."

"Alright."

Although curious, Chu Yanli knew that the matter at hand was more urgent, so she turned and left the inner hall.

"Your Highness, just now you..."

Chen Mo was just about to speak when he saw the Empress’s tense body relax, and she leaned against him weakly, her snowy white cheeks blushing, "I actually said it out loud, it’s... so embarrassing... little thief, my heart is racing..."

Looking at her heaving chest, Chen Mo reached out and pressed his hand on it, feeling it carefully.

Indeed, the heartbeat was quite loud.

"Stop it, don’t mess around; what if Li’er comes back suddenly?" The Empress’s body trembled as she playfully slapped him.

Chen Mo found it amusing, "Your Highness just laid everything out clearly, so why are you feeling shy now?"

"Wasn’t there no other way?"

The Empress said helplessly, "On the way here, I thought carefully, considering Li’er’s personality, she definitely wouldn’t give up. I couldn’t really let you be the Prince Consort, right? Instead of that, it’s better to take the initiative..."

Chen Mo curiously asked, "What if the Princess never backs down in the end?"

The Empress candidly replied, "Then we just part ways; besides, I haven’t wanted this position of Empress for a long time, and this is a good opportunity to lead a different kind of life..."

For a moment, Chen Mo was speechless.

It seemed the Empress was bluffing, but she had actually made plans to make a break for it.

And all of this was to be with him...

However, Chen Mo still had one confusion and asked, "What did the Princess mean by ’revenge’?"

The Empress’s expression paused for a moment, then she shook her head after a brief silence, "It’s a long story..."

Dong——

The melodious sound of the bell tolled.

"The hour has come; we can talk about this after everything ends." The Empress gave him a shy but resolute peck on the cheek, "Anyway, remember that my feelings will never change."

"I feel the same."

Chen Mo said earnestly, "Your Highness will always be my treasure."

"Pff, that’s so mushy..."

The Empress spat, her pretty face aflame, though the affection in her eyes only intensified.

...

...

After a brief moment of tenderness with the Empress, Chen Mo left the palace, traversed the Nine-Curves Corridor, and arrived at a wide open space.

Looking up, the black mass of the Imperial Army stood guard around, flags fluttering in the wind, and civil and military officials lined up neatly in the square.

At the very front of the square was a massive structure made of three circular platforms, constructed entirely of white jade, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.

Surrounding it were nine towering stone pillars painted black, adorned with carved spiraling Golden Dragons, their scales and claws vivid and lifelike, giving an inexplicable sense of unease upon closer inspection.

"This is the Huanqiu, also known as Jiulong Platform."

"Besides the ceremony, every Emperor throughout history has ascended this platform before their enthronement, burning offerings to the heavens to prove themselves as the ruler chosen by destiny."

Chu Yanli appeared beside him at some point, explaining.

This person is haunting like a ghost...

Chen Mo glanced at her with a peculiar expression.

Chu Yanli felt a little awkward too, whispering, "I truly didn’t expect that Yuchan could go to such lengths for you, but on the other hand, my decision still won’t change..."

Chen Mo knew she was stubborn and didn’t care to say more, mumbling to himself, "Jiulong Platform? Why does that name sound familiar..."

"This time Wu Lie had the Crown Prince ascend on behalf of the Monarch, and the implications are significant." Chu Yanli’s eyes darkened slightly, "This means that the Crown Prince has already been recognized by heaven and earth, establishing him as the destined Monarch... this isn’t something he could pull off."

Chen Mo recalled the runes he had seen on the Crown Prince and grew increasingly uneasy.

Dong——

The bell tolled once more.

The Ritual Officer from the Imperial Temple arranged the sacrifice and jade silks in front of the platform.

The Cupbearer Officer loudly proclaimed, "Heavenly Emperor, descend to the altar——"

Accompanied by the melodious jade flute, the Eight Yi Dance with their pheasant feather plumes began to dance gracefully, while the Crown Prince, dressed in black Imperial Robes, proceeded to the Jiulong Platform under the escort of the ceremonial guard, then climbed the steps alone towards the high stage.

His figure seemed tiny against the backdrop of the massive structure.

According to ceremonial protocol, he paused every three steps, taking nearly half an hour to reach the top of the platform, where he knelt before the Heavenly Heart Stone.

Nearby, the Cupbearer Officer stepped forward, handing a gourd cup to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince accepted it, dipped his fingers into the wine, and dabbed it onto the tiger’s mouth, then poured the remaining liquid onto the white jade tiles, intoning:

"Heavenly Mandate, grant grace to all lives... offering humble sacrifices of a jade disk, black silk, and a sacrificial bull... praying for timely weather, bountiful harvests, enduring prosperity, and the continuation of our dynasty..."

The youthful voice drifted with the wind, reaching everyone’s ears.

The Ritual Officer placed the sacrifice into a bronze brazier, and the Fire Officer ignited the gathered firewood with a spark, causing the flames to roar and the brazier to shudder.

Moments later, a trail of blue smoke rose from the brazier, spiraling upwards.

Seeing this, the Minister of Rites was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Purple qi pervades the sun, blue smoke reaches Ling Xiao; this is the omen of ’Heaven receiving the burnt offerings,’ indicating His Highness’s virtue aligns with Heaven and Earth, auguring peace and prosperity for all!"

Civil and military officials knelt and hailed the Emperor’s long life.

"As eternal as Heaven, as long-lasting as the sun, truly blessed by the Heavenly Emperor..."

Rumble——

Just then, a muffled sound came, and the ground beneath them trembled slightly.

Everyone paused in bewilderment.

"What’s happening?"

"Could it be an earth dragon turning over?"

"Impossible, Tiandu City is located in the Central State and has never experienced an earthquake in centuries..."

"This is..."

Chen Mo abruptly realized, a flash of insight hitting his mind, "This isn’t good!"

The next moment, the ground suddenly arched over ten feet, then surged like ocean waves as the blue stone steps cracked and shattered!

Scorching, intense tongues of fire erupted from the ground, tearing the entire square apart as if by an invisible hand, with smoke carrying the stench of sulfur rising into the sky, obscuring the sun and moon!

"It’s Intense Burning Powder, they buried Intense Burning Powder underground!"

"Her Majesty the Empress is in danger!"

Chen Mo’s figure moved like lightning, shooting towards the direction of the palace!

Watching the palace being devoured by flames and teetering on collapse, he felt waves of shock surging within!

"Ziwei shines down on the nine skies, Tribulation Fire burns the old palace..."

"The prophecy has actually come true?!"